Survivors plant cherry trees to mark tsunami line

People in northeastern Japan, including survivors of the March 11th tsunami, have begun planting cherry trees to mark the affected areas to give warnings to future generations.

About 100 people planted 35 trees in a temple ground in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday.

The group plans to eventually plant 17,000 trees over 170 kilometers in the city in marking off areas inundated by the tsunami.

The project's leader says he is sorrowful at having lost many friends in the tsunami.

He says he hopes the cherry trees will hand down memories of the disaster to young children and help prevent any further loss of human life.

The group plans to plant more trees on March 11th next year to mark the first anniversary of the disaster.

Sunday, November 06, 2011 15:15 +0900 (JST)